New York Construction Report staff writer
Resorts World New York City has started construction on the second phase of a planned $5.5 billion integrated resort expansion in Southeast Queens, less than three months after opening New York City’s first casino with live table games.
The expansion includes hotels, entertainment venues, gaming space, retail, dining and convention facilities to the existing Resorts World campus, and is expected to create about 5,000 union construction jobs.
“In less than 3 months after opening our doors as the first casino in New York City’s history, we are already moving towards a day when the city will have a first-of-a-kind integrated resort,” Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, executive chairman of the Genting Group, said in a statement. “Not only are we keeping every commitment we made in our proposal to the state, but we are running well ahead of schedule in starting to build outside of our existing building.”
Phase Two construction will include a new 400-room hotel tower connected to the existing Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World New York City, a 7,000-seat multipurpose arena, 1,200 additional luxury hotel rooms under the Crockfords brand, a central plaza and a new parking garage.
Kenny “The Jet” Sports and Media Complex is also included and is expected to open three years earlier than initially planned and will be relocated to the center of the Resorts World campus to improve access across the property.
“The excitement around this project hasn’t stopped since the day we submitted our bid,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East. “It carried us through our licensing process and through the first 12 weeks of operating New York City’s first live table games.
“Today, that same excitement is present as we break ground on Phase Two, which will bring new infrastructure, new parking, and the next wave of hotel rooms that will support two million square feet of new gaming, entertainment, and hospitality space in the years ahead.”
The property is now the largest casino in the United States by gross gaming revenue, according to Resorts World.
“Today’s historic groundbreaking is about delivering for Queens families who have long deserved good-paying union job opportunities, safe spaces for their children to grow and world-class entertainment all right in their own borough,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “That’s exactly what we’re delivering for our neighbors with Phase 2 of Resorts World’s expansion,” Richards said.
“In real time, we are leveling the playing field when it comes to prosperity and culture. It has been an honor to partner with Resorts World on bringing this community-centered expansion to life and I look forward to the ribbon cutting in the not-too-distant future.”
